Coffee and a Hot Date
by noragamii
Summary: The coffee spilled all over her shirt might have been worth it, because now Katara has a date with a really hot guy. Modern AU. Zutara
1. Chapter 1

The sky was cloudless, sun hot but not _too _hot, and summer was right around the corner. It was a beautiful day, no doubt, but Katara would never admit that because she felt like absolute shit.

Head down, huge mug of coffee clenched in one hand, and phone pressed against her ear, Katara probably looked like any other too stressed college student on finals week. Which is exactly what she was.

"Toph, you _know _I can't hang this week," she struggled to keep her voice calm as she talked to her friend, because Toph always managed to push her way too close to her breaking point.

"I am _not _a lame nerd! I just want to pass my classes!"

A pause. Katara gripped her coffee tighter. She _really_ needed to drink it, but fucking Toph wouldn't leave her alone.

"Toph, I swear to god. Just give me this week to focus and I promise next weekend I will be completely free to party our asses off."

Katara let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, bye," she hung up her phone, stuffed it back into her bag, and lifted the coffee to finally take a sip of the one thing she needed right now…BAM.

The mug never managed to reach her mouth, because in that brief moment when she looked away from where she was walking, it was just her luck to walk straight into another person. The brown liquid exploded across her shirt, leaving an ugly stain and the strong smell of coffee. Katara looked up.

If she had been in a better mood, she might have been more appreciative of how, well, _attractive_ the guy in front of her was. He was tall, with dark hair, gold eyes, and a fascinating scar covering his eye and running to his ear. But she felt like shit, and so she didn't find herself thinking much of his appearance. Instead, all she could think about was the wonderful coffee that she had been so excited to drink now all over her shirt.

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry," the guy pulled a pair of red earphones out of his ears, "that's my fault."

Katara stood very still. She wanted to scream at this guy for not looking where he was going, but she found that she didn't have enough energy. Katara felt some wetness on her cheeks and was ashamed to find that she was crying a little. And just over some coffee, no less!

"Um, are you ok?" The boy in front of her looked a little freaked out, which she wasn't surprised by since now he was dealing with an emotional, crying girl with coffee all over her. It was really fucking embarrassing, to say the least.

Katara forced herself out of her weird frozen state and rubbed her eyes furiously.

"Oh, god, sorry. I'm ok. Just a tough week I guess. Finals week…"

"Same here. Though I guess I'm a bit less emotional than you." It took a moment for Katara to realize that he was joking. She looked up at him, noticed the little smirk on his face, and was surprised at how _hot_ he looked like that. And she didn't even know this guy's name.

"Um, what's your name?"

"Zuko."

"Zuko…I'm Katara," she held out her hand and he shook it. His hand was cool and had a surprising amount of calluses. They stood there for a moment until Katara realized how ridiculous she must look, with coffee covering her whole front. She tucked a stand of hair behind her ear.

"Um, well, I should probably go change. Nice to meet you…I guess," she laughed and he joined in.

"Yeah. Not the best circumstances I guess but…it was nice to meet you."

She stood there for a moment, waiting for something though Katara wasn't sure what it was.

"Well. Bye."

"Bye."

Katara turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" She was surprised at how happy the sound of his voice made her, to here him asking her to wait. She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Um, Katara, could I have your number? Maybe I could buy you a coffee sometime, to make up for the one you spilled," Zuko was blushing and Katara thought it was adorable. Although, judging by how her face felt warm, she probably was too.

"Sure," she walked over and plugged her number in, "but I expect you to buy me coffee _and _a pastry."

He laughed, "of course. Whatever you want. So you'll text me?"

"Yup! Now I really need to change this shirt. Talk to you later!"

She walked off, her steps significantly lighter and her day a hell of a lot better.


	2. Chapter 2

Katara may or may not have spent the majority of her time, during which she _should _have been studying, staring at her phone and hoping Zuko would text her.

And she may or may not have wondered over and over if it would be weird if she texted him first.

_He did ask me for my number_, she thought to herself, _so it makes sense that he'll text me. Eventually. _

She forced herself to stop thinking about him and tried to focus on the math problem in front of her. That lasted for approximately two minutes, and then she was back on her phone furiously refreshing her messages.

_Why do I even care so much?_ _Cause he's hot? He __**is **__pretty hot. And where did that scar come from? That must be why I'm thinking about him so much. The scar. _

Katara figured that she had sufficiently obsessed over him and finally found the reason behind her fascination. But she figured that looking for him on Facebook wouldn't hurt. Katara was a little disappointed when she couldn't find him.

_Bzzz. Bzzz. _

Finally, that strange boy was texting her and Katara couldn't be more thrilled. She grabbed at her phone excitedly.

_**Zuko: **__Hey_

_Hey? Are you serious? Is that all he has to say?_

Katara was oddly furious at the lack of substance his first text had. How the hell was she supposed to respond to that?

_Should I just say hey? _Katara typed it in experimentally and then deleted it. _No, that's too bland. Our conversation won't go anywhere. Maybe add a smiley face? No way, too flirty too soon._

Katara leaned back into her chair and pulled her thick brown hair up into a ponytail.

_I should really be doing math._ _But…maybe I should just be direct with him? Just ask him about coffee straight out? I mean, what's the worst that could happen?_

Katara put her head in her hands, trying to convince herself to be brave and just ask him outright. Finally, she was able to reach the level of courage she needed to text him, and Katara did so quickly so that she wouldn't lose that bravery.

_**Katara: **__Hey Zuko. So when are you gonna pay me back for the coffee you spilled on me?_

The response was instantaneous.

_**Zuko: **__That I spilled on you? I'm pretty sure you walked into ME. Jk _

_But anyway, I was gonna ask but you beat me to it. How about tomorrow at lunch?_

Katara had a lot of work and studying to do, but of course she immediately responded with a 'yes' because any engagements could wait when she had a date with a hot guy!

_I'm going on a date! I haven't gone on one of those since…high school. _

Katara couldn't help the quiet giggle that escaped her lips. She felt pretty silly doing it, but her excitement clouded any judgment she might have placed on herself. She wasn't "Sugar Queen Katara," the nickname Toph called her, anymore. Katara had gotten a hot guy to ask her out, and Katara hadn't ever felt more wonderful.


End file.
